Prelicensure students receive skills totes thanks to donor generosity on Giving Day

UC Irvine School of Nursing prelicensure students will use the tools in their totes to learn fundamental nursing skills.

At the start of the school year, incoming students received a tangible sign of the community’s support: an essential skills tote.

These totes are an important component in the education of the Bachelor Program and Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) students at the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Each one contains the tools they will need to become skilled nurses, including a Foley catheter, IV start kit and blood pressure cuff.

Each tote costs $125. This expense can be a burden for many students. Donors on Giving Day understood and felt the financial burden of our students who also struggle with unemployment, health disparities and limited resources. 

In addition to skills totes, funds raised on Giving Day also support students’ needs in the areas of:

• Technology
• Diagnostic equipment
• Study aids
• White coats

Historic Giving Day

Giving Day 2021 was a historic one for the school, raising more than $32,380 in support of our future nurses.

The community was moved by the story of Isabella, who graduated in June. Last year, she received her own skills tote from a donor. She shared her educational journey and her story of what it means to receive a donor’s support at a time of struggle for her own family.

“It was mind-blowing to witness how much people cared to support our future as nurses. Our lives are dedicated to the service of others- knowing that these sponsors believe so strongly in that impact is something truly special and motivating,” she says.

Very special thanks to our generous community and leadership supporters, who provided challenge gifts that made it possible to reach our goal:

• Judy Corless, in memory of her husband, Joe D. Corless, MD, FAAP
• Murray Hochman
• David Lim
• Sharon Leider
• Dean Adey Nyamathi

For more information, to support a future nurse or nurse-led research, please connect to Juliana Goswick, Director of Development at jgoswick@hs.uci.edu or visit Giving.